DUST IN TIME
China Moon probe returns to Earth carrying first lunar sample in DECADES as space race with US heats up
Harry Pettit, Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter
17 Dec 2020, 11:55
Updated: 17 Dec 2020, 13:01
CHINA S Moon capsule returned to Earth on Thursday carrying the first lunar samples in over four decades.
The haul of rock and dust offers the possibility of new insights into the Solar System and marks a new landmark for China s space ambitions.
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An unmanned spacecraft carrying lunar samples has landed in ChinaCredit: EPA
The capsule of the Change 5 probe landed just before 6pm UK time in the Siziwang district of the Inner Mongolia region, the China National Space Administration reported.
2020/12/17 21:00 A Chinese lunar capsule returned to Earth on Thursday with the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 40 years. A Chinese lunar capsule returned to Earth on Thursday with the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 40 years. (AP photo) A Chinese lunar capsule returned to Earth on Thursday (Dec. 17) with the first fresh rock samples from the moon in more than 40 years, offering the possibility of new insights into the history of the solar system and marking a new landmark for China’s rapidly advancing space program.
2020-12-17 02:30:00 GMT2020-12-17 10:30:00(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong reads a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 17, 2020. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated the complete success of the Chang'e-5 mission that brings back the country's first samples collected from the moon. On behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission (CMC), Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CMC, extended warm congratulations and sincere greetings to all members who participated in the Chang'e-5 mission in a congratulatory message. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)